ISLAMABAD (News Desk) – The federal government has quietly lifted the decade-old ban on the export of donkey hides, sparking concerns that the door might once again be opened for the dark trade of donkey meat in local markets.
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The Ministry of Commerce has issued a notification allowing conditional exports of hides, reversing the 2015 decision by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) that had imposed a blanket ban.
Interestingly, official livestock statistics released in June show a steady rise in Pakistan’s donkey population. In just one year, their numbers swelled by more than 100,000—taking the total tally from 5.9 million to over 6 million.
Globally, the trade in donkey hides is booming. China is at the heart of this demand, as donkey skins are boiled to extract gelatin, marketed as a health supplement said to improve vitality and slow aging. The end product is turned into powders, syrups, or capsules, fetching a high price in the international market.
Animal rights groups, however, have raised the red flag, warning that millions of donkeys are being slaughtered every year to feed this industry. Reports suggest at least 5.9 million animals are killed annually worldwide for hides, and the numbers are climbing fast.
Back home, the decision raises uneasy questions. In the past, there were reports and allegations that smuggling of hides was sometimes linked with illegal sale of donkey meat. With exports back on the table, critics fear that unsuspecting citizens could once again be taken for a ride and served donkey meat under the guise of beef or mutton. The citizens urged the government to ensure only hides to be exported and the flashed be disposed of with utmost care.
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